The mother of a Van Buren High School football player is claiming her son has been sexually assaulted numerous times by Van Buren students for a year.  The mother also claims her son has been “pervasively bullied” by Van Buren students and staff over the past year.  She told the board it has until April 9 to investigate the incidents and to discipline those who have refused to provide her son a safe environment.  The school has scheduled a meeting with a moderator with the Ohio Department of Education to help develop a solution. 

The trial of twenty-one year old Jarrod R. Pfeiffer of Tiffin began yesterday in Seneca County Common Pleas Court.  Pfeiffer is accused of setting a fire at Tiffin’s Wal-Mart in September.  He is being charged with two counts of aggravated arson.  Pfeiffer's attorney, Shane Leuthold, told jurors Pfeiffer struggles with autism and had a hard time dealing with the demands of a job and started the fire to gain positive attention.

According to Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, forty-four non-US citizens have voted in recent Ohio elections.  However, none has affected an outcome.  The 44 were among 436 non-citizens discovered on Ohio voter registration rolls in checks in 2013 and this yea.  The 27 discovered this year who cast a ballot were referred to the Ohio attorney general for investigation and possible prosecution. 

The United Way of Hancock County is preparing for the 21^st annual Days of Caring.  The organization is now seeking projects for volunteers to work on.  Non-profit organizations are encouraged to submit proposals for consideration.  The Days of Caring take place April 25 through May 1.  To sign up a project or to volunteer, simply visit liveunitedhancockcounty.org.

The Boys Scouts of America are reminding people to not forget to put their yellow bags of canned food outside their front door tomorrow for the annual Scouting for Food campaign.  Last week local Boy Scouts placed yellow bags on the doors of area homes for people to put the canned goods in.  Tomorrow, the scouts will be back to collect the canned goods.  All items collected will be donated to local food banks…

Father John Stowe of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey has been appointed by Pope Francis as the third bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky.  Stowe has been the pastor and rector at Our Lady of Consolation since 2010.  The date and time of his ordination and installation as bishop has yet to be set.

Cosmos II on South Main Street in Bowling Green has apparently shut down in the face of a looming suspension of its food license.  The restaurant had repeated violations even after the owner agreed to close for a week in November to correct problems with cleanliness.  A December 22 inspection again uncovered critical violations involving food not being marked with expiration dates, improper sanitizer in the dishwasher and holding temperatures being too high.  Another follow-up on January 6 revealed the same problems with date-marking, as well as a box of raw chicken stored on top of lettuce in the walk-in cooler.

In girl’s regional basketball, St. Wendelin beat Pettisville 41-38.  The Lady Mohawks will now face Ottoville who defeated New Reigel 52-34.  In boy’s district basketball, Liberty-Benton fell to St. Henry 51-31.  Findlay lost to Lima Senior 45-32